Director of SADC organ on politics, defence and security, Tanki Mothae, has said that observers from the regional bloc were expected to start arriving in the country today to assess the conditions in the run-up to the combined elections set for March 29.
About 150 delegates are expected from China and other Asian countries and should be arriving anytime this week. Everything has been confirmed and booked for them, said a source in the ministry of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs. The SADC team is also set to arrive this week but there has not been any change regarding EU and US observers, they are not welcome.
Justice minister Patrick Chinamasa confirmed to this paper that we are inviting only those we believe will observe the elections in a fair and balanced manner, without bias, meaning the SADC and Asian delegates viewed by the regime as friendly.
The Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) has described as unfortunate, the decision by government to invite only those countries it believes are its friends, adding that damages the chances of the elections passing the test of being free and fair.
The Zanu (PF) regime has in the past clashed bitterly with EU and US observers who have roundly condemned the conditions under which elections were held saying they favoured the ruling party.
Post published in: News